Very Late Movie Review

I just watched "Elizabeth: The Golden Age" on DVD.

It was a movie that I had waited so long to watch at the cinema, but by the time it reached Malaysian shores I had so many business trips in Kerteh that I missed it. Fortunately I managed to get the DVD, but finding the time to watch it was another thing. It is a well-known fact that the only DVD's allowed to play in my house are either Barney, Disney cartoons or BBC's Planet series.

Today I managed to convince Nuaim to let my play it by enticing him with the Spanish Armada.

"Pirate ships?" he asked.

"Sort of."

Hardly 10 seconds into the movie he started pestering me for the the pirate ships. The sight of one dashing pirate in the form of Walter Raleigh wasn't enough for him. He gave up and started building his own pirate ship with Duplo blocks.

What I love about the movie? The costumes, the set and Cate Blanchett.

What I hated about it? Everything else.

Well, not quite HATE. But the movie felt like a very long drawn out history lesson, with too many slow-mo scenes that had no real effect on me. Clive Owen wore the same look throughout (in fact he looks the same in almost every movie), Geoffrey Rush looked bored, and there was greater chemistry between Elizabeth and her lady-in-waiting than with Raleigh (was that intentional?). There was so much more to tell about Elizabeth's Golden Age. If you don't believe me, go watch 'Black Adder'.

Greek Odyssey

I asked for Spain as a 10th wedding anniversary. Granted, it's only been 5 years 9 months, but this is a good precursor, isn't it?

6 years ago on Christmas my true love gave to me...

... a marriage proposal.

I was doing time as a Construction Supervisor in Kerteh, and it was a busy period so I could not afford to take leave to come back to KL. He called a few days earlier to say he had a wedding in Kemaman to attend so hey, why not just meet up?

A couple of days before Christmas, after I kept asking which friend was getting married, he confessed that there was no wedding - he just wanted to see me. He was taking a morning flight from KL to Kuantan, so could I spare some time to drive down from Kerteh just to spend the day with him before he flew back in the evening?

I remember not being exactly thrilled at the idea - I must've been planning to catch up on work that day. Anyhow, he missed his flight, took the next one, so I picked him up at the airport just after the lunch hour. He told me he was hungry and felt like having a Big Mac, so we headed off to Teluk Chempedak.

Along the way I berated him for spending so much money on a return KL-Kuantan flight just for a day trip. He bore my nagging with the most gracious of patience. As we sat at an al fresco table with the Big Mac, I asked him in mock seriousness (in an attempt to mimic Dumbledore from one of the earlier Harry Potter movies), "Is there something you want to tell me?"

As soon as the words were out of my mouth, I thought, "Ohmigod, what if..." and he said the exact words I was thinking.

Thank you, sayang, for making that trip 6 years ago.

Princess Pictures

Somehow the pictures loaded in reverse chronological order. Never mind lah...

"I'm so excited. My very first car!!!" At Kak Iman's 3rd birthday party.

"I am a model, you know what I mean..." Doing the catwalk at Tok Su Ina's house in Bangi during Aidil Fitri.

Bollywood princess looking a bit glum. Hero has not turned up yet.

"Be off with ye, Cap'n Jack Sparrow!! I be the cap'n of this ship." Ummi's attempt at making Aiesyah look demure in a headscarf during Aidil Fitri backfired. Nu'man doesn't look too impressed either.

Someone's really happy to be sitting in her Ummi's lap. Again taken during Aidil Fitri. (She's got more teeth now).

Gettin' jiggy with it. Aiesyah learning to walk a week before Aidil Fitri.

"Alamak jatuh la pulak..."

Lo and behold, it's another Hari Raya!

Yes, I've been really bad at blogging. And if I say I've been swamped with work, you've heard all that before, right?
I had so many posts planned, with photos and all, but whenever I do get the opportunity to switch on my laptop for pure unadulterated blogging time, my mind goes blank. I surf through other blogs and facebook updates and it hits me how utterly BORING my life is.
So I'll just show you pictures of the Aidil Adha we celebrated earlier today at Putrajaya (I tried loading them up on Facebook but met with an unresolved unidentified problem).

Mak decided we should all wear orange or red or pink. With black scarves. Forgive us if we look like some 80's nasyid throwback.

Nu'man and his cousin Iman posing for the camera. I think he has a crush on her. Iman prefers Aiesyah.

Nuaim decided to do his own thing by wearing blue.

My little princess has picked up a very un-princessy hobby - FOOD!

Nu'man playing photographer of the day. I doubt he actually took any photos though.

The obligatory 'Selamat Hari Raya' post

It's 28th Ramadhan already. Tomorrow Hubby's coming home, and in a bid to introduce him to Baba I've invited the family to buka puasa at my place. Panicking already. The next morning we'll be driving back to Alor Star.

And so, in case I don't get to write again prior to the real occasion, here's wishing everyone Eid Mubarak, Happy Holidays and Drive Safely!!!

Lost

In the midst of all sorts of accountabilities and responsibilities, I'm not so sure what I am or what I really want right now. Right now I can only define myself in terms of what or who I am to someone else. In terms of what others demand of me.

I need to find myself. Who I am to ME.

This is as good a time to take a vacation.

Heck, all I need is a quiet spot with a notebook, cheesecake and caffe latte. On my own.